


Still Waters

by solarwitchwrites



Series: Keeping Score [15]
Category: Black Clover - Tabata Yuki (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Gen, Gen or Pre-Slash, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-09
Updated: 2020-04-16
Packaged: 2021-03-02 03:08:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,895
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23558098
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/solarwitchwrites/pseuds/solarwitchwrites
Summary: A flash of temper from Yami gives Asta an insight. A question for Finral leads Asta to a simple truth.(CH1 is set right after Gueldre Poizot's interrogation, CH2 is set right after Asta meets Langris at Kiten.)
Relationships: Finral Roulacase & Yami Sukehiro, Finral Roulacase/Yami Sukehiro
Series: Keeping Score [15]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1426735
Comments: 22
Kudos: 223





	1. Insight

**Author's Note:**

> This wasn't originally going to be a part of the Keeping Score universe, but I decided it fit. Dipping back into the Pre-Slash because Asta has good instincts for what's important, but not so much for romance (just ask Sister Lily or Noelle...).
> 
> Title is from the phrase, 'still waters run deep.'

Asta's head was spinning as he and Yami headed out of the interrogation room. That a Magic Knight captain had turned traitor just for greed... the things he'd confessed to under Marx's spell... It made him sick. Asta hoped that whatever the Wizard King had asked to see Yami for, it was better news than this.

But when they passed by the rubble where Nozel and Charlotte had grabbed stones to go after Gueldre, Yami paused. He glanced at the wreckage, face impassive. Asta was about to ask what they were stopping for when Yami's ki suddenly spiked. It gave Asta a split second warning before Yami's fist lashed out, smashing another section of the wall.

Asta stared. Yami had kept his cool through the entire interrogation, even joking that Gueldre was black-hearted enough to be a Black Bull. But now his ki felt barely restrained, a wire pulled taut and about to snap. “C-captain…?”

In a low, cold voice, Yami said, “That shitty ham put his hand up at Finral’s exam.” Every muscle was tense. His eyes were piercing, fixed on something only he could see.

Asta froze. He wasn't a genius like Yuno, but even he could get where a portal mage would be useful to a smuggling operation. The list of Gueldre’s abuses against his own squad flashed through Asta's head. The threats, blackmail, and bullying he'd used to keep his members in line as he'd forced them to become criminals. Alongside it ran bits of memory from the last few months.

Finral. Easily distracted by a pretty girl, no stomach for violence, hated confrontation. Friendly, kind Finral. Who, like most of the Bulls, never mentioned any kind of family or friends outside the squad.

...No, Asta didn't need to be a genius to see how badly it would have gone for Finral in the Purple Orcas.

Yami slowly lowered his arm and turned toward the stairs. His voice was normal again when he said, “Keep up. Don’t keep the Wizard King waiting, idiot.” But there was still a tension to his movements, a deliberate weight on each step, and Asta followed in silence. Something felt... off.

Wasn't this normal, though? The first thing Yami had ever said to Asta was a threat to kill him for bumping into him. And since he'd been with the Bulls, Asta had discovered that Yami lost his temper all the time. This wasn't even the first time Asta had seen stone give way to Yami's irritation. It was a really good thing their base had magically regenerating walls.

And yet.

It was hard to look at old memories and try to gauge them with a sense he'd only picked up recently, but Asta tried. The magic knight exam. Yami getting the squad's attention at base by bashing a wall. His annoyance when the squad slacked off. On the surface, this was the same, but underneath, it felt like-

_“What the hell do you think you're doing to my magic carpet?”_

_That._ The instant after Yami blocked the shot Licht aimed at Finral's back. The look in his eyes, the feel of his ki- it was the same, or close. None of his property damage around the base had felt like _that._

When Asta had first joined the Bulls, he'd actually wondered if Yami and Finral got along at all. Finral had introduced every single Bull with the addition of 'but they're a good person' except Yami. Yami called Finral useless while using his powers for everything under the sun. They argued- or, usually, Yami said something and Finral made cheerful commentary that Asta only realized later was actually kind of insulting.

_‘I don’t give guys jobs they can’t do. Do something about him in your own way.’_

But now that Asta was thinking about it, Yami wasn't the kind of guy to keep someone around that he didn't respect. And Finral was-

-was everything Asta had just been thinking about, but not around Yami.

Even in the exam arena, flirting and distracted, he'd turned right back toward Yami when the latter had grabbed Asta. He was a self-proclaimed coward, but he didn't flinch when Yami punched walls right next to his head. He was always conciliatory with strangers, but he talked back to Yami despite the guy's killer aura and habitual death threats. He'd even apparently taught Yami how to dance, though Asta still couldn't picture that one.

And then there was the fight at Nean. When Yami had told Finral to use the last of his magic to open a portal behind Licht, Finral hadn't been happy, but he'd done it without hesitation. And right before Asta had struck, when Licht was about to blast Yami...

Finral had screamed Yami's name. Thinking back, he'd done it before, too, to warn Yami about Vetto, even though that had drawn Vetto's next strike straight at him. That wasn't really something you'd call cowardly.

_Captain Yami and Finral... they actually..._

By the time Yami stepped back out into the sunlight, the sense of tension had dissipated, though he took a long drag on his cigarette as Asta caught up. As they headed toward the Wizard King's office, Asta finished the thought.

_They actually care about each other a lot._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I pretty much shipped YamiFin from their interactions in the exam arena, but the cave thing sealed the deal. The manga and anime have slightly different choreography, but Finral is actually really tuned in to Yami during that fight. And he really does shout his name multiple times. It's kind of great.
> 
> Feedback encouraged!


	2. Truth

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love Asta. That's all, I just wanted to say that. ^_^

From the raised walkway Finral had portalled them to, Asta could see most of Kiten. Now that the enemies had been defeated, the place had turned into a hive of activity. There were several knights from Golden Dawn, but far more numerous were the Purple Orcas. Asta wondered who was in charge of them now that Gueldre was in jail.

Seeing them reminded Asta of something he'd been meaning to ask Finral.

“Finral, when you took the Magic Knight Exam, why did you choose the Black Bulls over the Purple Orcas?” Because Finral was a Black Bull _now_ , but even Asta could tell that he was one of the more... normal... members of the squad.

Finral almost dropped the cupcake Charmy had given him. “Are you joking?! I'd have been worked to death in a week!”

“...huh?”

“The Purple Orcas are one of the largest squads, they operate in units all over the country, and they specialize in organized crime, especially related to magical items. A spatial user like me, who can create portals for instant transport?” Finral made a wide arm gesture. ”They'd have worked me around the clock! Yami might have a terrible reputation- and it wasn't any better back then- but he's just one guy to haul around. Even now, the Black Bulls only has about a dozen members, that's not so bad.”

Finral shuddered. “Purple Orcas. Yeesh. No thank you.”

Asta bit his tongue to keep from saying that Finral didn't know the half of it. He still wasn't supposed to say what had happened at the captain's meeting, not even to his squad mates. Finral's gaze drifted up into the branches of the giant tree. Asta couldn't feel anything, the distance way too far for any kind of ki, but he had no doubt that Finral's mana sense knew exactly where their captain was.

“Even if he's a pain, I don't regret it.” The words were quiet, like Finral hadn't really intended to say them out loud. One hand pressed against the crest on his robe like his chest hurt, though Asta knew Finral hadn't been injured. 

Before Asta could say anything- though he wasn't sure what it would have been- Finral laughed, a little forced. “Of course, Yami has super strong magic, so he doesn't need my portals to fight the way you do. I'm just more convenient than a broomstick.”

Asta frowned. He still felt like he was missing something, but that- that wasn't true. Asta thought back to the fight at the temple. After Vetto fell. Finral had walked straight into Yami's arms, and despite his usual feelings about personal space, Yami had let him. Right before the rest of the Bulls had descended on them, Yami's eyes had closed, ki quiet with pure relief as he embraced Finral.

Slowly, but certain of his conclusion, Asta said, “Finral... Captain Yami might not need you to fight, but... I don't think that means he doesn't need you.”

Finral's eyes snapped back to Asta, wide as saucers in a suddenly pale face. His mouth dropped open, but no words came out. He looked so shocked that Asta wondered if anyone had _ever_ told him that someone needed him. Remembering his recent introduction to Finral's brother, Asta believed it. Finral inhaled like he was about to say something, but then suddenly shut his mouth and looked up. Asta followed his gaze.

It was odd to see Yami on a broom, but Asta figured it must have been the quickest way down from the tree. Yami's eyes flicked over them as he landed, letting the broom clatter to the ground without further thought. He paused on Finral. Asta didn't blame him, Finral was still looking a bit shaken. But Finral avoided Yami's gaze by taking another bite out of the cupcake, eyes down and chewing like it was the only thing he cared to focus on. 

Yami frowned slightly, but all he said was, “Nice to see nobody picked up any more injuries.” But his eyes narrowed as he looked back to Asta. “But you- you think I can't tell when you're all sweaty? What stupid thing did you pull this time? If you can't take care of your arms, I'll break your legs next time. And Charmy, didn't you say you'd protect your junior?”

Any thought about how weird Finral was acting flew out of Asta's head as he tried to justify his actions and tell Yami about the slime guy. Preferably before Yami really did break his legs. But Yami just took a drag on his cigarette and cut them off with a gesture.

“Tch. Like I expected anything else from you. Oi, Finral.” 

Finral jumped slightly at being addressed, and looked up. He seemed calmer. The smile was a little shaky, but given Yami's mood at the moment, that was perfectly normal. “Yes, Yami?”

“Captain Shiny caught a bunch of prisoners in that tree of his. I told him you'd help Golden Dawn send them to the cells.”

Finral's shoulders tensed and his voice went high with incredulity as he blurted out, “You volunteered me for- do you even know how many prisoners there are?!”

Yami shrugged. “No. Your point?”

Finral sputtered. “You- you- You're impossible, Yami! You just- augh! I can't deal with you right now!” Finral stowed the last piece of cupcake, then stood.

Yami raised an eyebrow at him. “Jeez, what got into you?”

Finral shook his head. “Never mind, just- I'll head up to the tree.” He got out his grimoire.

Putting out his cigarette, Yami said, “Oi, send us to Owen's first, I want him to look at the runt.”

Finral paused, surprise flitting over his features. He glanced at Asta, looking concerned. But he opened the portal with a gesture. Asta was about to ask who Owen was when Yami grabbed his head. Asta yelped. 

Yami called, “Charmy, stick with Finral. Catch up with us when you're done.” Then he hauled Asta through the portal. The last Asta saw of Kiten was Finral's face, concern fading into something unreadable when he looked at Yami's back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The second half of this fought me a lot, but I finally got it written!
> 
> Feedback encouraged!


End file.
